Tool Talk

What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: skidive101 on April 02, 2013, 10:28:33 AM

Title: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: skidive101 on April 02, 2013, 10:28:33 AM: I found this at a local auction house and it piqued my curiosity. I the best guess I have is someone said it could be an old hot wire foam cutter. it just seems like it would be limited on the size and shape of cut for that.

good luck!

had to adjust my file size
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: Fins/413 on April 02, 2013, 11:56:21 AM: An accident waiting to happen.
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: BruceS on April 02, 2013, 02:06:55 PM: Almost looks like the electric mouse trap I made years ago. Seriously !
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: geneg on April 02, 2013, 03:28:50 PM: JUST DON'T PLUG IT IN! & keep it out of the reach of those under 40. I know of a collector who would put one of the little padlocks thru the hole in the male cord prongs to prevent someone from playing with his odd items. I probably could agree with Bruce as to the intent. Just have your home owner's insurance paid up before using it.
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: Fins/413 on April 02, 2013, 03:48:20 PM: I wonder if its some kind of crystal radio. Does the rod connect to anything that looks like a tuner?
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: Branson on April 03, 2013, 08:46:51 AM: Hamster electrocution chamber...
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: Branson on April 03, 2013, 08:54:57 AM: Quote from: skidive101 on April 02, 2013, 10:28:33 AM
I found this at a local auction house and it piqued my curiosity. I the best guess I have is someone said it could be an old hot wire foam cutter. it just seems like it would be limited on the size and shape of cut for that.

Yeah, it does look quite limited. Most that I've seen are shop made. The cutting wires are bent to the shape desired and the foam just pushed through, against a fence. I don't see how this thing could do that.
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: Aunt Phil on April 03, 2013, 11:19:42 PM: Homemade version of the plastic rope cutter mounted on the rope shelf at Lowes box store.
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: skidive101 on April 04, 2013, 07:51:37 AM: Quote from: Fins/413 on April 02, 2013, 03:48:20 PM
I wonder if its some kind of crystal radio. Does the rod connect to anything that looks like a tuner?

No it doesn't seem to have any missing components
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: skipskip on April 04, 2013, 05:47:31 PM: I like Aunt Phil's idea

Skip
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: Bill Houghton on April 06, 2013, 02:55:03 PM: Quote from: BruceS on April 02, 2013, 02:06:55 PM
Almost looks like the electric mouse trap I made years ago. Seriously !
Electric mice? They must have realllllly long tails, although I suppose the modern ones are all cordless.

If you do plug that object in, make sure you're plugging into a working GFCI outlet.
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: rusty on April 07, 2013, 02:26:23 PM: Perhaps for Cats rather than Mice...

(This really appeared in an old Pop Sci...Not PETA approved...)
Title: Re: It's Old and it's electric but what is it?
Post by: johnsironsanctuary on April 07, 2013, 02:45:52 PM: That schematic looks like a thing that my dad built in the mid thirties. His first job out of high school was working as a mechanic in a large Dodge dealership. He kept losing tools until he installed one on his toolbox and used a sheet of tin for a floor mat with a foot operated off switch so he could pick up tools. He didn't lose tools after that. A spark coil is part of a Model T ignition. It puts out a big jolt.
Is the thing inside the screen box a coil or a transformer?